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OS X 10.9 to add more 'power user' features -- report

Apple's next desktop operating system launch, which is slated for later this year, will come with few visual enhancements, but a host of improvements for so-called power users, according to a new report.

The folks over at 9to5Mac on Monday said that they have sources with knowledge of Apple's plans who claim that the core design and functions of the new operating system, OS X 10.9 and code-named Cabernet, will remain the same. One of the biggest improvements, however, will be how the Finder application works. That application, which allows users to access files across the operating … Read more

Apple releases OS X 10.8.3 and firmware updates

Apple has released its third update for OS X Mountain Lion, bringing the latest version of the software to 10.8.3 after over three months of development. Along with a number of bug fixes for problems users have been experiencing in 10.8.2 and earlier, the new version adds a couple of new features.

The first is that Mac users can now redeem iTunes gift cards using an iSight camera. Now if you take a snapshot of the card in the Mac App Store you can have the system identify its number and redeem it instead of having … Read more

Apple may name its next version of OS X 'Lynx'

Mac OS X 10.9 could be dubbed "Lynx," says blog site AppleScoop.

The rumor sounds plausible. It would continue Apple's trend of naming its OS after ferocious felines. Over the past few years, OS X has leaped from Leopard to Snow Leopard to Lion and then to Mountain Lion.

However, the intel is decidedly second-hand.

The information comes from a "reliable source" who claims to have talked to someone inside Apple. The person reportedly saw some internal papers that indicated Apple was finalizing the name of OS X 10.9. But the source couldn'… Read more

Apple's OS X 10.9 may feature Siri and homegrown maps

Apple's next major release of its desktop and notebook operating system is once again expected to gain additional features from iOS devices, according to Apple blog 9to5mac.

Citing trusted sources, the blog today says Apple plans to add full-on integration with Siri, the voice assistant that can be found on Apple's iPhones, iPods and iPads.

Apple already took the first step in that direction earlier this year by adding dictation to OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, which was released in July. The dictation feature lets users talk into their microphone and transcribe into text, but it does … Read more

Add an e-mail to the OS X Reminders app for easy follow-up

Did you know you can add an e-mail from OS X Mountain Lion's Mail app to the Reminders app with little effort? Instead of launching Reminders and typing in information you feel is important, you can use this quick shortcut to not only create a reminder, but link to the exact message you'll need later.

To add an e-mail to the Reminders app, you simply drag and drop it either directly into a Reminders list, or to the Reminders app icon in your Mac's dock. You'll need to click and drag from the header section of … Read more

View your PDFs with Adobe's Reader X

Adobe developed the Portable Document Format to standardize electronic document handling. PDF, the file format that carries the business world on its back, is everywhere, from product manuals to legal documents. To open, view, and edit PDFs, you need a PDF reader -- for example, Adobe's free Reader. Despite competition from simpler tools, Reader remains the standard the others are judged against. We looked at the latest version of Reader, Adobe Reader X. With it you can view and annotate all PDF files, sign documents electronically, and access optional Adobe Online subscription services directly from inside its interface.

Reader … Read more

Time Machine running slow after OS X 10.7.5 update

After installing the latest OS X 10.7.5 update for Lion, a number of users are finding their Time Machine backups are taking forever to complete. In some cases the backups only run at a few kilobytes per hour, with text claiming that the backups will take between days to weeks to complete. People report this issue occurring with a variety of Mac models and backup setups, including backing up to local drives and to Apple's Time Capsule devices.

In addition to Time Machine running slowly, those experiencing this problem have noticed Spotlight also takes forever to update … Read more

iPhoto 9.4 and Aperture 3.4 enhance Mountain Lion support

Following today's OS X 10.8.2 update for Mountain Lion, Apple has issued updates to iPhoto and Aperture, which bring the latest versions of the popular photo management suites to 9.4 and 3.4, respectively. The updates include a number of small bugs and fixes, along with new features and addresses several notable issues.

The first of these is both programs now support Shared Photo Streams in OS X Mountain Lion, which allows others to view Photo Streams you have set up in iCloud. In addition, the programs now support directly opening and editing a file from … Read more

How to control which apps can access your contacts on OS X

When Apple released OS X Mountain Lion, it included some extra controls to help you keep personal information private. One area of personal information you now have control over is your Contact list. Prior to OS X 10.8, apps could access your Address Book (the name changed to Contacts with Mountain Lion) without alerting you, or requesting your permission.

When you run an app on OS X Mountain Lion for the first time, and it tries to access your Contacts, you'll see an alert similar to that above. Clicking OK will allow the app to access your Contacts, … Read more